What to carry?

[12 gauge]

I have been fortunate over the years to have a good collection of pistols. For many years I was a 45 ACP man. No bullet was equal to the 45 ACP or it's potential. As I grew in my knowledge of firearm ballistics, realizing that the concept of "the one shot stop" rarely ever occurs, especially in a self-defense setting, I moved toward the higher capacity is better camp. I enjoy carrying the compact size hand gun, ie: Compact Wilson 45, Custom compact 10 mm. These guns have 7 round magazines. When I switched to the M & P Compact 357 Sig, my capacity increased to 10, then I went to the Glock 19.

The problem now is when I want to carry the 45's, I feel handicapped due to the lower capacity magazines. I don't want this to degrade to a caliber war. I was just wondering if others had these same feelings. I shoot all of my guns equally well as far as accuracy is concerned. The Glock 19 has the fastest follow up shots, as would be expected. The 357 Sig is in the middle......but I DO LIKE THAT 45!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[jdsumner]

The will to use the weapon and the training to employ it maximally will mean much more than the caliber or platform.
Carry whatever caliber/platform combination that gives you the most comfort/pride of ownership/confidence/or just plain warmfuzzy.
Just carry it.

dan

[Dangerfield]

Carry what you are most accurate with.

[WarMachine]

If your as good with just about all of them then decide what to carry that day based on location(s) (bad part of town) more capacity gun, and by the weather (warm weather means less clothes) more compact gun less rounds.

You get what I'm saying right OP?

[mbguy29577]

Yes, carry what you shoot best and every shot will count. I always have a spare mag with me too just in case . I figure 24 rounds of .40 should be enough.

[Dooger]

Check out the G30S...

[grouse]

I have kinda the same thing going on. Just love to carry my Browning Hi-Power 9mm, which I carry alot.

However, I am simply a better shot with my .45acp 1911's and that makes up for me anyway, the smaller magazine capacity of the 1911.

Not that I would "pray & spray" with my Browning or that I'm really that much better with a 1911 but something about the old war horse

gives me confidence in it's 7 round magazines.

[archer51]

In most situations round count isn't going to matter. It's not like your going into a sustained fire fight. For most SD situations the 7/8 round .45 is enough rounds.

[GH]

Unless there are multiple targets attacking you or breaking into your home I wouldn't worry too much about round capacity. Having said that I think of the loss of 4 rounds in the mag when I get my M&P 40C, 15 vs 11. I'm planning on carrying at least one spare mag. Most of the time I carry a spare anyhow so now I might carry both spares with the M&P. I might even get a full size mag from a M&P 40 for range fire & maybe even for carrying.

[RH45]

Carry what you are most accurate with.

+1
One good hit with even a .380 is better than multipul, poor hits with a .45

[CDW4ME]

I always felt most comfortable with at least a 40
Months ago, I allowed a few sessions with a shot timer to influence my thinking (quicker follow up shots with a 9 duh) and I briefly carried a 9mm.
I was focused on a small part of the whole picture, just 1st - 2nd shot time and the fractional second advantage offered by the 9mm.
With a Glock 19 vs a Glock 23 it was literally a maximum average difference of ~ .20 vs .28 or about .08 sec.
I was failing to take the whole sequence into account: time to react, get on target and fire the two shots.
Considering an average total time of about 2 seconds to react and fire two shots, the .08 seemed less important.
That total time was about the same regardless of whether I used a 1911 or a Glock.

Bigger bullets and fewer of them or smaller bullets with greater capacity?
Requires assumptions.
More likely to defend against one or two people or several? I'm going with one or two.
All things equal, would a bigger bullet or a smaller bullet be more likely to incapacitate an attacker quicker? I'm going with bigger bullet.

Current choices with an emphasis on diameter:

For strong side IWB: either a 1911 (thin choice) or a Glock 38 (45 GAP)
I've got XS Big Dots (quick sight acqusition, great at 6 -7 yards) on the Glock 38; it seems soft shooting even with 230 gr. HP, double taps felt quick yesterday, left the timer in the house.

Appendix carry or Smartcarry: Glock 27, 29 or 30 SF.


Alternate ways to consider this:
If it were (or is where you live) legal to shoot a deer with a pistol, would you rather use a Ranger T / HST in 9mm, 40, or 45?
Someone within 10 ft. threatens you life with a knife or gun, you will get one center of mass hit on them before your firing pin breaks want a bigger pistol bullet or a smaller one?